Day 3
If you have time visit the location where Game of Thrones was shot. The city of Girona is just 30-minutes away by train. (Blog post soon!)

Note: Half of my trip to Barcelona was a bit gloomy, but never the less, the bad weather didn’t stop me from being charmed by this beautiful city.

La Boqueria

While walking in Las Ramblas, you won’t miss La Boqueria, the cities oldest and most famous market.

It’s a must-see destination popular with the locals and tourists alike. You can spend hours feasting on your senses, as the market holds the reputation for having one of the most extensive choices, everything from meat and fish through to fruit, sweets, and even tapas food stalls.

Sagrada Familia is so unique in Europe that it’s the best place to be visited in Barcelona. Whether you catch the outside or the inside of the Basilica, this is one place you cannot miss!

The tour starts with a quick photo shoot. I found the best place to take the photo is behind the park near the basilica.

If you want to go inside, advance bookings are vital. I did not go inside this time, but the architecture outside is nothing like I’ve ever seen before.

Our tour includes a history of the building from its early beginnings to the present day. We also had a chance to get the know the genius behind this historical masterpiece, Antoni Gaudi.

Facts About Sagrada Familia:
– Construction on Sagrada Familia is still ongoing up till this day, since it was first built in the year 1882. It is expected to be done by this century (2026)!
– Gaudi’s architectural style for the Basilica combines Gothic and Art Nouveau forms.
– Sagrada was built purely on donations.
– More than two million visitors pass through its doors every year.
– Gaudí spent his last years working on the Sagrada Familia.
– Gaudí died in a bizarre tram accident and is buried below the Basilica’s Crypt.

When you Step into the whimsical and dream-like world of Park Güell, you’ll get lost in it’s beautiful and bizarre design!

The park oozes with charming buildings, stone structures, and beautiful colored tiles. You need at least half a day to explore the whole park.

Fun Facts About Park Guell:
– Did you know in 1984 Park Guell was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site?
– Parc Güell’s famed attraction is the terrace that overlooks the city of Barcelona.
– 95% of the park area is free of charge, except the area with the dragon, the curved bench, and the market hall.

The Laundry Room Portico was sculpted into arched columns that provide support to the roads above.

See the trencadís style dragon in the park. They say you haven’t been to Barcelona, if you didn’t take this iconic photo!

I was fond, to learn that Gaudi already thought of ergonomics at his time. The tile-covered benches were very comfortable against my back.

Enter Casa Batllo’s fantasy of ornate wonders! The house was renovated in the 19th century in the well-known modernist style by Gaudi.

The eye-catching colorful house’s exterior is exceptional, I love how the light, color, and shapes interact with the glass, wood, ceramics and quarried stone in this underwater-like fantasy construction.

I bought my tickets separately for the house tour. You will be given an AR installed phone and a headset. The user can choose which language to listen to and apart from listening, one can also read the text of the narration on the phone.

The AR experience was so fun! You wouldn’t even mind that the house had too little furniture.

It’s famous for its dragon-style roof, with its unusual flowing sculptured stonework.

It is amazing how a human mind has been able to shape a house in something that appears to be a living element of the city.

For more about Klook and theirCasa Batllo Skip the Line Ticket + Audio Guide Barcelona (P1417), click here —>casa-batllo

The tour ends at 7:30pm at Casa Milá also known as La Pedrera, a modernist building by Gaudí built in 1906 to 1910. This building earned its nickname because of its resemblance to an open quarry.

It’s my first time to watch a Flamenco show, and I was very captivated by the electrifying performance! You’ll be impressed by the intense passion of the singers, dancers, and guitarists on stage. And before I knew it, I was already stamping my feet and clapping along to the music in no time!

Flamenco is a dance characterized by passion, drama, and intensity! It’s one of the most iconic expressions of Spanish culture that one should experience when visiting the country.

Named by Unesco as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, the traditional folk dance originated as an artistic expression, with each number narrating a story of the oppression and struggles of the poor during the 16th century.

Although Flamenco may not be native to Barcelona, there are a number of great performers across the city for travelers to check out!

Located on the famous La Rambla boulevard, the popular Tablao Flamenco Cordobes venue has been the pioneer of the Flamenco art in Barcelona since the 1970’s. I love its cave-like halls where artists perform without microphones.

Travel Tips:
-Barcelona is a walking city; most of the landmarks, shopping area, restaurants is just walking distance from each other.
-Best to stay in El Borne and Gothic Area.
-Beware of your personal belongings, especially in the Rambla area, where I witnessed someone trying to pickpocket my friend while we were outside sitting in Starbucks. (Don’t worry it’s mostly just petty theft.)
-Pre-book your tickets online via Klook, to avoid the long queues. Especially at Sagrada Familia where the line is extremely long.
-If you want to save on transpo, directly outside El Corte Inglés department store are the Airport Buses. (Single ticket: €5.90)
-Malls and shops are closed on Sundays. Even their biggest mall El Corte Inglés.
-If you want to explore more of the city, you can buy the Hop on and off Bus tickets, that can take you from Barcelona’s medieval streets to its sandy beaches.
– Eat! Tapas, sangria, cava, and Seafood! Since Barcelona is a coastal city, you’ll find a good supply of freshly caught seafood!
-Bring a camera, and extra battery! The place is so beautiful, you wouldn’t want to miss a snap!

About me

Multimedia Artist/Blogger/Vlogger/CrossFit Athlete. Hey its me, Abi! Also known as "Abeast" because of my competitive and crazy personality. My special talents include binge watching, lifting weights, jumping off cliffs, swimming with the whale sharks, eating exotic nasty insects and having a huge appetite like a guy. One fun fact about me is that I'm the first full-time employee of Our Awesome Planet. I've been blogging for 4 years, and currently in the process of becoming a vlogger. My natural habitat is either at the CF box, a new resto, traveling or spending time with family.

Sagrada Familia is a continuous work of art. Thanks to Antoni Gaudi! Dining at La Boqueria was truly a yummy experience and please don’t miss the intensity of the dancers at the Flamenco Show. La Rambla is truly amazing but always beware of your belongings because of pickpockets. I know it because I experience it myself. I fully agree with Ms. Abi on Barcelona.